Rainbow Spreads - Tarot Cards

Rainbow Spreads - Tarot Cards

So, what are Tarot Cards?

In simplest terms, Tarot cards are a means of predicting events or gaining insight in both our spiritual and material worlds. They are used as a method of divination (fortune-telling, predicting the future) and/or as meditational aides. The history and origins of the Tarot are not definitively known, but are a source of much speculation.

There are many different decks of Tarot cards available, and, though they display a multitude of beautiful artwork, they all have 3 basic principles in common:

Each deck is illustrated with images that symbolically depict experiences that we've all had, or could have, at one time or another.
Each deck is divided into two main sections: the 22 Major Arcana cards, and the 56 Minor Arcana cards. The Minor Arcana are further divided into the Court Arcana and numbered cards.
Each deck contains four suits within the Minor Arcana: Wands (also known as Staffs or Batons,) Cups (also known as Bowls,) Swords, and Pentacles (also known as Coins or Disks.)

Symbolically, the Major Arcana illustrate the greater events within a lifetime, and the Minor Arcana illustrate the smaller, everyday, mundane events. The images on the cards display a story, both by themselves, and as a whole. It is this imagery, and the way each person responds uniquely to it, that makes the Tarot an effective tool of discovery.

So, what do you do with Tarot Cards?

Tarot cards can be used singly as a meditational focus, or multiply in a divinatory spread. A spread is a method of laying out a prescribed number of cards in a specific formation. Spreads can be as simple as a single card chosen at random, or as intricate as a 25 card 'Year' or 'Zodiac' spread. The most common spreads are the 3 card 'Past, Present, Future' or 'Body, Mind, Soul' spreads, and the 10 card 'Celtic Cross' spread. Each position within a spread bears a defined meaning in relation to the type of spread being dealt.

After the cards have been shuffled, and dealt into the pre-determined spread, they are interpreted. This is called 'doing a reading.' Each card is interpreted by it's individual symbolism in combination with it's symbolic position within the spread, in relation to the cards surrounding it, and in relation to the question asked.

There are specific meanings associated with each card in a Tarot deck, but these meanings are secondary to the unique interpretations that each person discovers within the cards. There are many books on the subject, many expert readers with their own methods, and many supposedly 'hard and fast rules,' but the bottom line is this: the Tarot is the story of a lifetime journey. Each person has a unique and individual outlook on life made up of their experiences, thoughts, hopes, and fears; therefore, each person will view the cards with a mental eye colored by that outlook. Interpretation is a strongly individual matter.

So, how do I start using Tarot Cards?

The first step in becoming a Tarot card reader is choosing a deck. There are a multitude of decks on the market, each one containing deeply evocative imagery. Choose a deck that 'speaks' to you, one whose imagery immediately brings a certain response to you, one that you feel you can understand based on the illustrations alone. I've used the Rider-Waite deck to illustrate this site because it is the most widely available deck, but my personal favorites are the Old Path deck, the Spirit deck, and the Crowley Thoth deck. (Okay, I confess; I collect them...there are so many beautiful decks!) Many bookstores now carry Tarot cards, and they are also available by mail-order.

The next step is to familiarize yourself with the traditional meanings behind the imagery. Hopefully, this site will be helpful with that, and there are many other sources of information, as well (check my Tarot Links page for some of the best Web resources on the Tarot.) As I've said, these are not absolute definitions, but knowing the basis of the imagery can help clarify the personal interpretation of each card, and of a reading as a whole.

The third step is to jump right in! Go ahead and start doing readings for yourself. The more you use the cards, the more practice you get at interpreting them, the more accurate your readings will be. The important thing to remember when doing any reading, regardless of your skill level, is that the future is mutable - the Tarot does not predict what definitely will be, it just predicts what could be. Nothing is 'set in stone' - you always have the power to change anything that is shown - it may display a goal to strive for, or it may display a warning of possible trouble if a different path is not chosen. Free will is always present in every life, and in every reading.

Select one of the hightlighted text links above to learn more about Tarot cards.

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